Lefsetz's Letter: Chris Stapleton at the Hollywood Bowl

It was like 1972.

And I mean that in a good way. I imagined myself lying at the bar, drinking a beer while a band played on the small bench in the corner. The members were dressed the same way they had been on the street a few minutes before, the music, the atmosphere being paramount, the accessories having no importance.

There was a giant horizontal high-definition screen above the performers, a set design I had never seen before, but it was slightly offset from the performers, which was disconcerting. However, I was very close, did it matter to those in the back? Probably not. But hey, they have screens further back at the Bowl now.

Stapleton is the antidote to everything everyone complains about in today's music world. You know, the generic, machine-made songs with bland lyrics that could be written by a ten-year-old and make you cringe, or that are cartoon fantasy, no different from a high-concept movie, at least “The Harder They Come” was somewhat believable, I mean Jamaica had a reputation for violence.

So what brings people to see Chris Stapleton?

The songs. Period. They show their power. You don't need anything else if you have them.

But the big surprise was Stapleton's guitar playing, it's all about style, not speed, Lowell George taught us that. Your guitar is just a starting point, everyone can have a unique voice, if they choose to. This show could inspire anyone to play, the power of a guitar is undeniable, in a way a synth never can be. Plus, there were a lot of guitars, it seemed like every song demanded a new one, and there was even a change in the middle of a song. That's the luxury of being a superstar, you can live out your fantasy, instead of playing the same instrument all night, like when you're building up. And I was particularly inspired by Chris's playing on a Jazzmaster, which Elvis Costello cut his teeth on, but which everyone else has brushed aside in favor of the Stratocaster. (And let's not forget the Gretsch.)

And Stapleton is forty-six. The antithesis of what we are told sells. But that's because he is so good, so authentic. Chris has proven himself, and he knows it. He rejoices sometimes, it's gratifying, he is delighted to be on stage to sing his songs, especially when he is in a duet with his wife Morgane.

Unlike the four or five piece bar bands, there were seven people on stage. There was a pedal steel player. Another guitarist who often played acoustic guitar. And a keyboard/organ player. No one was showing off, but they were locked into an ensemble, which is the opposite of what you see so often, people showing off, like I said, the music was the star.

Chris talked a little bit, but not much. But other than that, it was very similar to a Springsteen concert. Chris is singing his inner truth, the angst is evident, this is the heart of America. Despite all the red/blue division bullshit, there is a part of everyone that can connect to Stapleton and his music, because we are all human beings at heart.

As the show went on, he left the bar, it had more of a concert feel, the average bar band doesn't play that long, doesn't have any known originals. But Stapleton played for two hours and it didn't drag. (And unlike so many artists, Stapleton didn't stretch the songs out to infinity, he played them for the length of the records, so he got to play twenty-three songs.)

And people knew the subject. They sang along sometimes. They were fans, there were no casual users present, it's not like they heard a Stapleton song and needed to see the vibe of the moment, everyone there knew Stapleton and his music very well (you can ask me how I know, but you can feel it, if people are paying attention, if they are singing along, if they are on their phone… or not).

It's rock and roll. Not the kind of stuff you hear on Active Rock. It's a niche product. Made for a minority. It's pretty hard, aggressive, and there's a market for it, but it's not a big one. The guitar tech tested the sound by playing AC/DC, and the truth is, AC/DC are an American band, even though they're from Australia. Everybody knows them, everybody knows their music, credit to Mutt Lange, and maybe we should credit Dave Cobb when it comes to Stapleton, but the formula WORKS!

The truth is, no one is universal these days. It all depends on your field, your niche and how big it is. You may not be passionate about Stapleton and what he does, but his fans certainly are, a mix of women and men. I visited the venue, about 50/50, and there were no preteens, no one brought their kids to the concert, it was a party, an experience for those old enough to drink, who know what adult life is, and it is complicated and difficult, and music, when it is done well, is a relief.

Stapleton frees your mind. You see no artifice, just a lot of hard work.

And when I walked out of the building, I saw the trucks. They were all painted on the side, with ads for Traveller Whiskey. And I didn't see it as a sellout, or a brand extension, it reminded me of what used to be, when music was magic, when you had to get close to it, when you had to know everything about it, when your deepest desire was to be a part of the tour yourself, to have an experience that you couldn't have anywhere else.

You don't sit (or stand!) and listen to Chris Stapleton and judge him negatively, thinking you could do it yourself, listening to the hard drives, the effects going off, it's moving, it resonates in a way you know but rarely feel these days. That's what the dinosaurs used to do. But Stapleton isn't calcified, he's making new music, he's successful, he's the most respected artist in Nashville, he's winning all the awards, everyone wishes they could do things their way, get rid of the constraints of Music Row and do things their way, but they're too scared, they're more worried about their careers than they are about their music.

I didn't grow up in Kentucky. I've driven there a few times, stopped once, but when it comes to the South, I'm a voyeur. But for some reason, the South is known for the most authentic fiction and in many cases, the most authentic music. You can do it without making big tunes, although some do. But if you strip it down and still have appeal, you're a star. Like Johnny Cash, like Willie Nelson, they're beacons, but most don't see the light.

I'm not telling you to go see Stapleton if you hate this music, if it doesn't have enough beats per minute for you. But if you lived in the pre-Internet era, when you had to leave the house to do something, when you didn't feel anything at home, when you had to go to the bar to meet people, to have a chance at love, Stapleton's show will bring it all back to you, not old school, but totally present. When you strip it down, it's just about the playing and the songs, you don't need anything else, and when you get there, everyone can feel it, everyone can see it.

You'd think we'd have more Chris Stapletons. But we don't. Most people want to make it big or go somewhere else, they're not all in. And of those who are all in, many just don't have the talent, the je ne sais quoi that separates the stars from the rest of us. You know it when you hear it.

And I heard it last night.